Norwich City agree deal to sign big-name free agent after Burnley exit

This has made him a hot-property target for several clubs in the Championship.

According to Football Insider, the Canaries have fended off interest from elsewhere to secure the signature of the experienced striker.

Is Ashley Barnes a good signing for Norwich City?

Barnes played a role in Burnley’s promotion back to the Premier League this season, scoring six and assisting three goals from 39 league appearances.

The striker received inconsistent game time, but showed he is still more than capable of competing at this level when he was available and selected.

Norwich will be without Teemu Pukki next summer, so the Clarets forward will make for a natural replacement for the Finn.

The club has moved quickly to ensure they are best placed to secure his signature, with reports earlier in the month also linking a number of rival teams to a pursuit of Barnes.

Can Norwich City compete for promotion next season?

David Wagner will be hoping that Barnes is just the first of many arrivals this summer as the German looks to build a side capable of competing for promotion in 2024.

The Canaries suffered a disappointing campaign, falling to a 13th place finish in the second division table.

This has been the club’s worst league finish since 2018 when they finished 14th under Daniel Farke.

Wagner will be hoping to have a more successful second season in charge and follow in Farke’s footsteps by leading an automatic promotion bid.

Burnley footballer Ashley Barnes fined £13k for drink-driving - BBC News

A busy summer is expected at Carrow Road, with a refresh of the squad planned.

This will be Wagner’s first real chance to mould this team having only taken over at the start of January this year.

What next for Norwich City?

Norwich will now likely move on to other targets while also looking to ship out some unwanted figures in the team.

It is also possible that the club will look to cash-in on big-value assets, with Max Aarons and Andrew Omobamidele linked with a move away in recent weeks.

This will be the Canaries’ second consecutive campaign in the Championship, which is not something they have been used to in the last few years given their yo-yo relationship with promotion and relegation.